Player-piano.



M. NEWCOMER.

PLAYER PIANO. Y APPLICATION FILED DEC. 4. 1913.

1,152,540. Patented Sept. 7, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Witness/e0 35 GHQ cue 4 WW m Q g- M. NEWCOMER.

PLAYER PIANO.

APPLICATION FILED DEC- 4, 1913- 1,152,540. PatentedSept. 7, 1915.

2 SHEETS SHEET 2.

WI T l p r HIHI IW witnesses zj-nbawto c Wt W MvW MARTIN NEWCOMER, OF NEW YORK, N.

., ASSIGNOR TO VOLOTONE COMPANY, OF

ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY, A CUREGRATION OF NEW JERSEY.

PLAYER-PIANO.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that l, 'MARTIN NEWGOMER, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Manhattan of the city of New York, in the Sotate of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Player-Pianos, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

Ehis invention relates to devices for regulating the crescendo and accentuating devices of mechanical piano players and has for its particular object to provide means whereby the intensity of the blows of the hammers may be varied at will while the throw or extent of movement of the hammers under the action of the striking pneumatic remains constant.

In accordance with the invention provision is made for varying the efiective movement of the striking pneumatic whereby only a portion of its force is transmitted to the hammer. In the embodiment illustrated it is proposed to provide in the transmission devices between the striking pneumatic and the hammer an actuating lever movable about an adjustable fulcrum so mounted as to move along a line parallel to the position occupied by the actuating lever at the limit of its striking movement. By shifting this fulcrum it becomes possible to dissipate the force delivered by the striking pneumatic through a portion of its stroke, the stroke, however, remaining constant and the hammer being subject, throughout its throw, the amplitude of which remains constant, to the action of the transmission devices.

A further object of the invention is to eliminate in devices of this character, springs and other uncertain actuating means and to provide devices adapted to be controlled positively by the operator.

Still another object is to provide in com bination with the expression devices above referred to, independent pneumatic devices for producing solo effects.

These and other objects will appear more fully hereinafter, reference now being had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a view in sectional elevation showing so much of an ordinary player piano action as is necessary to enable the invention to be understood. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view, partly in elevation and Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented sept. v, 1915.

Application filed. December 4, 1913. Serial No. 804,573.

partly in vertical section, of the devices illustrated in Fig. 1, as viewed from the right.

The invention is illustrated in the drawings as applied to an upright player piano of ordinary construction, except so far as the present invention is concerned. A finger-key or key lever on of the usual character is indicated and is adapted to engage in usual manner the usual abstract 6. The latter is shown as connected at its upper end to a wippen c which carries a jack (Z arranged to operate the hammer c, all as usual. Above the key levers a are shown the ordinary player pneumatics g which are connected with the wind-ways and controlled from the tracker-board, as usual. Each hammer e is operated through the lifting of the abstract Z), either by the finger-key a or by an actuating lever h, which has one of its ends disposed in operative relation to an adjustable cushioned block I) carried on the abstract. The actuating lever is secured intermediate its ends through a depending arm h to a second lever 2' pivoted adjacent one end to a fixed support 71 and connected at its free end with the player pneumatic 9 through the usual lifter rod 70. The fulcrum of the actuating lever 71 is illustrated herein as a transverse bar Z which may extend transversely across all of the actuating levers h and constitute a common fulcrum therefor. This fulcrum may be supported at its ends on fixed rails m on which itis slidable through operating links Z secured to a convenient handle Z under the control of the operator.

It is to be noted particularly that the rails m are angularly inclined to the actuating levers h when the latter are in their normal position, and that the angularity of these rails is such that the actuating levers h lie parallel thereto when in their ultimate or extreme striking positions after operation through the player pneumatics. In this construction lies the gist of this invention since by reason of it the movable fulcrum Z when shifted, moves along the fixed rails m, that is, in a line parallel to the ultimate position of the actuating lever h. The elfect of this is to maintain constant the amplitude of swing of that end of the lever hwhich is in engagement with the cushioned block Z), or, in other words, to maintain constant the lift of the abstract 7) and the throw of the hammer e. The only effect of the shifting of the fulcrum Z is to vary the ratio between the power arm and the load arm of the actuating lever it and simultaneously to vary the ratio between the power and the load. This effect is the one desired since by reason of it the effective power acting on the hammer 6 may be increased or diminished under the will of the operator although, it is to be remembered, this power is applied throughout the throw of the hammer.

WVhen the fulcrum Z is moved to the extreme right end of the fixed rail m, as viewed in Fig. 1, it will be in juxtaposition to the cushion k onthe upper face of the actuating lever h and accordingly, when the power is applied through the lifting rods and lever 2' the actuating lever 72,, being in engagement with the fulcrum Z, will swing about it. However, when the fulcrum Z is shifted to some position toward the left on the rails m, as viewed in Fig. 1, the actuating lever 72. will be in spaced relationship to the fulcrum Z and, accordingly when the power is applied, the initial effect on the lever it will be to throw its rear or unloaded end upward until it engages the fulcrum, the remainder of the throw of the pneumatic serving to operate the hammer. From this it will appear that the effective throw of the pneumatic as regards the hammer depends directly upon the position of the fulcrum and accordingly as this effective throw is great or small just so is the intensity of the hammer blow great or small. The movement of the lever h to its position in abutment with the bar 1 being very sudden may result in unpleasant noises and injury to the operating parts and hence it may be desirable to make suitable provision for maintaining the free ends of the actuating levers kin constant engagement with the bar in all positions of the latter. Such provision is found in the present embodiment in a transverse rod n carried on suitable hinged arms n and disposed operatively under the operating lever 2' so as to have a tendency to raise the latter when moved upward under the action of a suitable spring 0 connected, through a rod 0, to the hinged arms a. The spring 0 is of sufficient strength to overcome the weight ofthe parts resting on the transverse rod n and maintain the actuating levers h in constant engagement with the fulcrum Z when the latter is shifted. The bellows 8 permits this action of the spring 0 as it is so related to the other parts as not to be fully distended at any time. It is of suflicient throw to permit any lifting, under normal conditions, of the lever t. It will be understood, however, that the provision of the parts last described is not essential to the successful practice of this invention and may be omitted without departing from the spirit thereof. When these parts are omitted or, under some circumstances, when they are retained, it may be desirable to interpose a spiral spring 2 between each lever z and its actuating lever it to seat the latter on the cushioned end 2' of the lever i after operation of the power devices.

It is often desirable, in addition to varying the eneral tone effects, to produce solo effects by permitting only certain of the hammers to be actuated and holding against movement for the time being, through suitable devices, the remaining hammers. Such a solo device may he used in connection with the expression devices herein described and is illustrated in the accompanying drawings as comprising a cushioned block q hingedly connected to a fixed support 7, the lower edge of the block being movable to a. position directly over the free end of any desired number of the actuating levers h, according to the length of the block 9, to constitute a fulcrum for the levers in their subsequent movement, regardless of the position of the bar Z. In this way certain of the levers receive full strokes, while the others, moving about the bar Z as a fulcrum, have limited strokes and consequently give less force to their respective hammers, this being the general effect desired for the accompaniment of solos arranged for the hammers having full throw. Normally the block 9 remains in the position indicated in Fig. 1, in which the actuating lever h is free to perform its usual function, described above. However, the locking bar may be thrown downward into its operative position through operation of a controlling pneumatic 8 connected in the usual manner through a tube .9 with the tracker-board, the movement of the pneumatic being controlled in a manner well understood by a perforation in the music sheet. The block is not moved to its operative position when any one of the levers it is in a position to interfere with it. It will appear that when the fulcrum Z is shifted to an extreme position toward the left end of the fixed guide rails m the right hand end of the actuating lever 72 as viewed in Fig. 1, might, through the action of the lifting spring 0, be moved upward to a position in a horizontal plane above the lower end of the block 9. Under such circumstances, of course, it would be impossible to move the block Q to a locking position in engagement with the upper face of the actuating lever h. Provision is made to overcome this condition by connecting the controlling pneumatic 3 through a lever t to the lifting rod 0 through which the spring 0 is connected operatively to the transverse rod or. By this arrangement, when the bellows s is collapsed to move the block to its operative position, the spring 0 is simultaneously distended and the transverse rod a is lowered, thus permitting the free end of the lever h to drop to its normal position and lie under the cushioned edge of the block, the block then constituting the fulcrum forthe lever h. The lower face of the block g may have secured thereto a cushion g, as through a strap Q2.

Such changes as have been indicated herein and many other modifications obvious to the skilled mechanic, but not referred to specifically, may be made without departing fromthe spirit of the invention provided such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a mechanism of the character described, the combination of a striking pneumatic, a hammer, transmission devices whereby the hammer is actuated from the pneumatic and means to vary at will the range of movement of the pneumatic through which it is effective with respect to the hammer while maintaining a constant throw of the hammer.

2. In a mechanism of the character described, the combination of a striking pneumatic, a hammer, transmission devices interposed between the pneumatic and the hammer and means to adjust said transmission devices to vary the range of movement of the pneumatic through which it is effective with respect to the hammer without varying the throw of the hammer, the hammer being subject to the action of the pneumatic throughout the stroke of the hammer.

3. In a mechanism of the character described, the combination of a striking pneu matic, a hammer, an actuating lever operatively disposed with respect to the pneumatic and the hammer whereby the latter is actuated by the pneumatic, a fulcrum for the lever and means to move the fulcrum to vary at will the intensity of the blow of the hammer without relieving the hammer from the action of the actuating lever at any time during its throw.

4. In a mechanism of the character described, the combination of a striking pneumatic, a hammer, transmission devices whereby the hammer is actuated from the pneumatic and including a lever, and a fulcrum for the lever movable at will along a line parallel to the position of the lever at the time the hammer blow is delivered.

5. In a mechanism of the character described, the combination of a striking pneumatic, an actuating lever operatively connected thereto, a hammer actuated by said lever and a fulcrum for said lever movable along a line parallel to the position of the lever at the time the hammer blow is delivered whereby the effective throw of the striking pneumatic is varied at will while the throw of the hammer is maintained constant and the intensity of the blow changed.

6. In a mechanism of the character described, the combination of a series of striking pneumatics, a series of hammers, transmission devices whereby each hammer is actuated from the corresponding striking pneumatic, said transmission devices including a corresponding series of actuating 1evers, a bar extending across all of said levers and constituting the fulcra therefor, and means to shift said bar along a line parallel to the positions of the actuating levers at the time the blows of their respective hammers are delivered to change the fulcra of the levers and vary the effective throw of the striking pneumatics and thereby vary the intensity of the hammer blows, the throw of the hammers being maintained constant.

7. In a mechanism of the character described, the combination of a series of striking pneumatics, a series of hammers, transmission devices whereby each hammer is actuated from the corresponding striking pneumatic, said transmission devices includ ing a corresponding series of actuating levers, a bar extending across all of said levers and constituting the fulcra therefor, fixed rails on which the bar is slidably supported, and a hand lever connected to the bar where by it may be moved along the rails at the will of the operator, said rails being dis posed parallel tothe position of the actuating levers at the time the blows of their respective hammers are delivered whereby the bar is caused to move along a line par allel thereto.

8. In a mechanism of the character described, the combination of a striking pneumatic, a hammer, transmission devices whereby the hammer is actuated by the pneumatic and including an actuating lever, a fulcrum for said lever movable along a line parallel to the position of the lever at the time the hammer blow is delivered and means disposed operatively under said lever to maintain it in constant engagement with the fulcrum when the latter is shifted, said means serving to change correspondingly the position of the movable member of the pneumatic and vary its effective throw.

9. In a mechanism of the character described, the combination of a series of striking pneumatics, a series of levers operatively secured thereto and mounted on fixed fulcra respectively, a second series of levers connected to said first named series of levers respectively, hammers actuated by said second series of levers, a bar extending across said second series of levers and constituting the fulcra therefor, said bar being movable along a line parallel to the position of said levers at the time the blows of their respective hammers are delivered to vary the effective throw of the pneumatics while maintaining a constant throw of the hammers, a second bar disposed operatively with respect to the second named levers to hold them in constant engagement with the first named bar as the latter is shifted and a sprin to support said second named bar.

In a device of the character described, the combination of hammers, striking pneumatics therefor, transmission devices disposed between the hammers and the striking pneumatics respectively and including actuating levers, a bar constituting a common fulcrum therefor and shiftable along a line parallel to the position of the levers at the time the blows of their respective hammers are delivered whereby the intensity of the hammer-blows is varied and solo devices comprising a block and a pneumatic to move the block over the free ends of certain of the actuating levers to constitute the fulcra therefor.

11. In a device of the character described, the combination of hammers, striking pneumatics therefor, transmission devices disposed between the hammers and the striking pneumatics respectively and including actuatinglevers, a bar constituting a common fulcrum therefor and shiftable along a line parallel to the striking position of the levers at the time the blows of their respective hammers are delivered whereby the intensity of the hammer-blows may be varied, a hinged block disposed in juxtaposition to the free ends of certain of said levers and a. pneumatic operatively connected to said block to move the same over the free ends of the said levers and constitute the fulcra therefor, a spring support to hold the levers in engagement with said bar, an operative connection between the last named pneumatic and said spring support whereby when said pneumatic is operated to move the block over the free ends of the cooperating actuating levers, the spring support is moved to permit said levers to assume their normal initial position.

This specification signed and witnessed this second day of December A. D. 1913.

MARTIN NEWGOMER. Signed in the presence of- FRANCIS J. MURPHY, WORTHINGTON CAMPBELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

